Chicago spots on paparazzi patrol

Celebrities aren't as likely to encounter a horde of paparazzi in Chicago, but special requests are no problem for local businesses that happily cater to high-profile clientele.

At Ultimo, a high-fashion Oak Street boutique, celebrities have asked owner Sara Albrecht to open the store early or after closing. She's dispatched a selection of clothes, along with a salesperson and a seamstress, to celebrities' hotel rooms. Albrecht lives near the store and occasionally has dashed over to pick up things for a celebrity late at night.

"And we'll do that for non-celebrities too," Albrecht said. "We're more than happy to make appointments in off-hours."

She won't, however, share who browses the racks at Ultimo. "That's one of the reasons they shop here," she said. "Whether you're my mother or a celebrity, I'm not going to tell."

A few blocks away at the uber-hip Diesel shop on Rush Street, that's not a problem. Otha Lindsey, visual manager at the store, said the Black Eyed Peas and Ryan Cabrera stopped by last week. Lindsey reeled off other big celebs who have shopped there during his four years at the store: Janet Jackson, Common, Erykah Badu, Steven Tyler with band, Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake.

"We treat them as customers, we don't treat them differently or give them special privileges," Lindsey said. "We want them to feel like a regular person--that means not asking for autographs, keeping it low-key."

At some restaurants, stars apparently prefer to be in the mix--and the celebs flock to Gibson's Bar and Steakhouse on Rush Street. Most of the cast of "Oceans 12" headed to Gibsons for a meal last summer.

"Most of the people who come in, they don't want to be hidden," said the restaurant's publicist, Roxanne Atkins. "We do have private rooms, so they could request it, but they kind of want to be normal, and they can be normal here."

Mel Gibson and Jay-Z both hit it off with their Gibson's server, Mohammad, known as Mo. Gibson invited Mo to shoot pool with his group after dinner. Jay-Z requested Mo when he returned to the restaurant with Beyonce a couple of months ago.

Celebrities are comfortable at Gibsons, owner John Colletti said. "Our job is to give them space to enjoy our great food and not have them be bothered by the paparazzi," he said. "They just want to have dinner like you."